Provided is a granular thickening agent with which dispersibility in water is good, aggregation does not occur, viscosity quickly rises, equilibrium viscosity is high, and the flavor of a food or beverage product is not compromised. Also provided are a method for producing the granular thickening agent, and a food or beverage for persons having difficulty chewing and swallowing that uses the granular thickening agent. The method for producing the granular thickening agent comprises: a step for spraying a binder liquid onto a primary starting material, which contains a thickening polysaccharide, to obtain primary granules； and a step for coating the primary granules with at least 85 parts by mass of dextrin per 100 parts by mass of the thickening polysaccharide.本發明提供一種增黏劑造粒物及其製造方法、以及飲食物，該增黏劑造粒物在水中之分散性良好、不會產生結塊、黏度會快速上升，並且平衡黏度高，除此之外亦不會損害飲食品之風味，該飲食物係使用前述增黏劑造粒物，且係以咀嚼、吞嚥困難者為對象。本發明之增黏劑造粒物之製造方法，係具有下述步驟：將黏合劑液體噴霧在包含增黏多醣類之初級原料中而獲得初級造粒物之步驟；以及使相對於前述增黏多醣類100質量份為85質量份以上之糊精被覆在前述初級造粒物上之步驟。
